Punic War

During class, we discussed Gracchus, Romulus and Remus, and read about the Punic War. Gracchus was a plebeian with political power. He spoke on behalf of the lower class to create a law making it illegal for a wealthy upper class citizen to buy the land of a farmers, when the family's men had gone to fight in the war. He believed that the wealthy were taking advantage of the lower class. Romulus and Remus were twin brothers who were royal. They were put into a river to die, but were saved by a she-wolf and feed by a woodpecker. They grew up and eventually wanted to start or found a city. They both disagreed which peninsula to build the city on, and Remus died. Romulus called the city Rome. This is the myth the Romans believed was how their city-state was founded on.

The Punic Wars had three stages or phases throughout 264- 146 B.C. Carthage was another city-state that was an oligarchy and empire- building republic similar to Rome. Sicily for many centuries had been struggling with Carthage for control of the island. The Romans had inherited the struggle when they took over responsibility for protecting their Greek- allies. In the first war, Rome was able to force Carthage out of Sicily. In the second war, a Carthaginian general Hannibal invaded Italy, and brought Rome to the brink of defeat. But the loyalty of the Roman's allies, the perseverance of their own forces, and their greater manpower enabled them to triumph, because Carthage relied on smaller mercenary armies. Finally in 146 B.C., Rome provoked a third war with Carthage and Carthage was captured after bitter fighting. Carthage was divided equally among Rome.